


Coup d’État

by Anonymous



Series: Be Thine Own Palace [6]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst and Feels, Cock Tease, Coercion, Confessions, Daddy Kink, Excessive Drinking, Explicit Sexual Content, Exploitation, Extremely Dubious Consent, Humiliation, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Mentions of Suicide, Non-Consensual Bondage, Oral Sex, Parent/Child Incest, Revenge, Sex Work, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:27:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25026955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: After everything he’s learned in the palace, Goro has changed.He knows what he needs to do now.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Shido Masayoshi
Series: Be Thine Own Palace [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752943
Comments: 5
Kudos: 58
Collections: Anonymous





	Coup d’État

**Author's Note:**

> *For those who don’t know - here’s the merriam webster definition of coup d’état: the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group.*

“Would you like another, sir?” 

“No, thank you. I’m still working on this one.” Goro smiles at the bartender and covers his drink with one hand. 

It’s a good thing Goro has spent so much time in the jazz club, he thinks, tossing back another gulp of his drink. He’s gotten used to people waiting on him, learned how to be polite and casually friendly with bartenders. He’s gotten this one—Shido’s hired help—on his side in record time. Goro knows the guy’s name, small details about his family, and can more or less guess the figure Shido must be paying him. It’s all useful information. 

Goro relaxes against the bar and continues to watch Shido. He’s feeling calm. Almost deliriously calm, considering the thoughts brewing in his mind. The plan he’s hatched in the past few days. And considering that he’s back here in Shido’s club where so many horrible things have happened. 

But this time, Goro chose to come to Shido’s club. He invited himself. He asked the SIU director when the next party would be and the SIU director happily told him. (Of course, it was only a matter of days. Shido has one of these parties more or less every other week. One of his many bad habits.) So, when Goro showed up and strolled down the stairs like he belonged there, the bouncers let him in without question. They’ve seen his face several times. They know not to question Goro’s presence. He can come and go as he pleases. 

Goro rests his elbows against the bar and crosses his legs. Making himself comfortable. He takes another sip of his drink (rum and coke, cloyingly sweet with a pungent antiseptic aftertaste, nothing special). He’s been watching Shido all night. His eyes never waver; he’s not trying to hide anything. Not tonight.

He wonders if Shido has noticed Goro’s staring by now. He probably has

A smile pulls at the corners of Goro’s mouth. He licks his lips excitedly. Chasing the taste of syrupy alcohol. 

Good. He hopes the sight of himself has caught Shido off guard. Put him on edge, even just a little. 

After all, isn’t that Goro’s most natural suit? An uncomfortable presence? The elephant in the room? The thorn lodged sharply in your side, that just won’t go away no matter how you pick at it? Goro has been nothing but unwanted baggage since the day he was born. He’s starting to own the role. 

“Send this over to Shido-san’s table,” the bartender orders a waiter. It’s one of Shido’s specially crafted cocktails. That the man never has to explicitly order anything. Everything is just given to him whenever his current drink runs out. As he likes. 

Goro has been counting. It’s the fifth drink. Shido is going hard tonight. 

As usual. Every time Goro’s been here, Shido ends up very drunk. He believes that’s the case when he’s not there as well. But, probably, his presence makes Shido want to drink just that extra little bit more.

He’s counting on it. 

So far, his gambit has proven successful. Everything’s going accordingly. Still, Goro wagers he has a good chunk of time left before the time comes to act. So, he might as well settle in and enjoy the show. 

Shido is sitting in a private booth surrounded by sycophants. Three of his colleagues sit alongside him: A fellow politician (what was his name? Ooe?), the president of a certain TV company (Goro knows him quite well), and a weaselly man Goro has never seen before. Seems to be new to the club. He’s a bit nervous around the sex worker hired to hang off his arm, jumping every time she runs her hand across his thigh. But, all the men at the table have a sex worker glued to their side. Including Shido. So the weaselly man puts up with it to be included. 

The sex worker next to Shido is the same one from the other night. The skinny one with brown hair and diamond encrusted nails. Goro has learned she goes by the name Jewel, and she is the exclusive property of Shido. She can walk around the club like a queen, ordering whatever she likes, telling the staff what to do. No other man dares to approach her. She has complete impunity. But, Jewel doesn’t seem to be the type to exploit that or let the power get to her head. She only stands to get Shido another drink and when she needs to use the bathroom. She hardly ever leaves Shido’s side. She spends most of her time trying to anticipate Shido’s needs, which she does remarkably well. Knowing precisely when he wants something to eat or drink. Laying her head on his shoulder to show everyone that she belongs to him. Adding quips to the conversation and making the men laugh. Putting Shido’s hand on her breasts to encourage him to cop a feel. 

Jewel seems to know her role. She’s the favorite courtesan. For now. Until Shido gets tired of her. So instead of lording her fleeting power over others, she makes herself useful to Shido. Increasing her value so that she can earn as much as she can from this gig. It’s a smart play. Goro has to respect her for that. 

Their eyes make contact once or twice. From her permanent place at Shido’s side, Jewel watches the club passively. So of course she notices that Goro is staring. And of course, she must remember him from last time. But she doesn’t seem agitated by his presence. Her eyes flick over Goro as if he’s supposed to be there. 

Excellent. Another check on his list of perfect conditions. 

Goro has a plan for Jewel tonight. She can be useful to him, if she’s as practical as Goro thinks she is. 

Unfortunately, Goro can’t see Shido’s eyes as well as he can see Jewel’s. Not from this distance, behind the orange glasses. The man’s expression is hidden behind an opaque glare and the cynical half-smile he always wears in this kind of company. 

Oh well. To be honest, Goro doesn’t really give a shit how Shido looks. How he’s feeling. Goro doesn’t care in the slightest. 

He’s changed. Ever since he came back from the palace, after the cognitive version of himself told him Shido’s real plans for after the election, Goro’s attitude has gone through a rather significant shift.

He feels great. 

He’s let go of a lot of things that were holding him back. Dropped the yoke. Decided to move forward with what he has. He knows now that his hand is a losing one, but he can still see the game through to the end.

To put a fine point on it, Goro is free. Uninhibited! Remarkably so! The lingering shame and indecision that had been wearing him down before are gone. Goro now accepts that he wants Shido to fuck him, a hundred or a thousand times. Forever. He also knows (on some level) that he’s fallen brutally, mercilessly in love with his father. He knows how fucked up that is and he doesn’t care. It’s the truth. Goro won’t shy away from the truth anymore. 

He knows that Shido wants him too. There’s no way Shido is as uninterested as he pretends to be, considering how obsessed the shadow version of himself is with Goro’s cognitive twin. How synchronous they are. And how thoroughly and perfectly Shido’s shadow fucked the real Goro. All the passion was there. The things Shido himself showed Goro when they went into the palace together. Oh yes. Shido wants Goro, that’s a certainty. 

But. The reality of their situation—Shido’s abhorrent pride, his obligations as a political candidate, his appearance, his self-worth and esteem—won’t let Shido be truthful. He can’t be honest with Goro, and probably isn’t being honest with himself either. 

That sounds familiar to Goro. After all, he’s come to accept the fact that his real self (to say nothing of what goes on in the palace) is unlovable. Whether by pride or circumstance, Goro has never been worthy of love and never will be. He knows what he is. Who could love someone as unflinchingly precocious and deeply disturbed as Goro? Coming to accept the truth that the answer is, most definitely, ‘no one’….it was hard, at first, sure. But then. When Goro let himself go, when he opened his heart to the light of unbiased veracity, he saw an end. An end to the pain. A period at the end of a run-on sentence. The edge of a cliff, plunging steeply into nothing. 

It’s over. Soon. It’ll all be over soon.

So. It seems Shido would rather leave Goro out to dry and then quietly dispose of him when the election is over. No harm, no foul. Without a care in the world. 

Like hell Goro is going to let him get away with that. 

Yes, granted, perhaps Goro isn’t able to stop Shido from having him killed. Shido is too powerful with too many fingers in too many pies, and his subordinates would surely love to see Goro die as well, considering the leverage Goro has on all of them. In the real world, Goro is a lone entity with no actual power of his own. So if Shido wants him dead, there’s probably little Goro can do to stop it. He can’t take on the whole yakuza. He can’t anticipate every potential killing blow around every corner that might be waiting for him. It’s not possible, even for someone of Goro’s mental prowess. 

His death, then, is inevitable. 

To which the caveat is: So what?

Goro won’t go down without a fight! He won’t go quietly. He won’t let himself be killed without forcing Shido to face every ugly, disgusting truth about himself. Without telling him that he knows everything— _ everything _ —and resigning Shido to live with that truth for the rest of his miserable life. 

Serves you right. You unimaginable bastard. Shido has used and rejected Goro so much that…any hope Goro might have had (the torturous hope Shido himself made Goro taste) is all washed away. He’s left plain. Blank. Like sand on the beach after a wave hits. 

There is no other plan after this. Only tonight. Whatever the hell else happens to Goro, he can die free. On the strength of his convictions, knowing he fired one last salvo into the heart of the man he hates and loves so much. 

The certainty of that puts Goro in a good mood. He’s not waiting anymore. He’s in motion. Operating on all cylinders. 

He has no doubts. He feels focused and dedicated. He’s made a plan that’s not exactly foolproof—no plan is, there are always some contingencies that may go awry. But so far it seems to be working. It’s easy. Too easy. As if it’s destined, as if Goro has been validated by some higher power and now has righteous fury on his side. 

Cool. 

Goro sips his drink and nods happily. He’s on the side of justice for real this time. It’s a satisfying feeling. He can see why those idiots the Phantom Thieves go in so hard for this. 

Taking down powerful men is a heady trip. And Goro is better at this than he thought.

_____________________________

“Here you go.” 

“Mm.” 

Shido drains half the drink in one go. The more liquid sloshes down his throat, the less he feels like scowling. He’s been drinking all night to cover up the grimace on his face that appeared as soon as Akechi arrived. 

What the hell. He didn’t invite that kid. What is he doing in Shido’s club? Out of nowhere? He’s inviting himself, now? 

That unruly brat. Shido swallows the rest of the drink as he pointedly refuses to look over at Akechi, who’s sitting by the bar with his legs crossed looking perfectly at home. Akechi has been staring at Shido like a depraved lunatic since he sat down. His face is calm but his eyes are hungry. Other people can’t seem to sense anything wrong because they talk and smile at Akechi like always. But Shido can see the signs plain as day. 

What’s gotten into that kid? Has he finally lost it for real? 

He’s up to something.

It really pisses Shido off. Akechi is, as always, a huge pain in the ass. Sure, his powers are useful. But that’s where his advantageous qualities end. Beyond that, Akechi is nothing but trouble. With his pretty face and long, lean body. His intelligent eyes that see too much. An ass that won’t quit, that draws Shido’s eyes from across the damn room. The promise of the insanely hot sex they’ve had together. Taunting Shido. Always just out of reach. 

Akechi is just… 

Shido sighs and holds out his hand. Ready for another drink. (All he has to do is set down his empty glass and someone will get him a new one. If Shido holds out his hand, he only has to wait a few seconds before Jewel or someone puts a fresh drink in it. Like clockwork.) 

Akechi is a problem that Shido wishes he didn’t have to deal with. From day one. Nothing but trouble. Just like that woman, his mother. God damn it.

“Of course, that wasn’t the first time I’d slept with her,” the TV company president at Shido’s table boasts. “We’d been together too many times to count! She’s actually fairly slutty, that actress, when you take away all the cute props her manager makes her appear on camera with.” 

“I could tell,” Ooe answers. Reaching into his prostitute’s shirt to fondle her breasts. Molesting their hired workers is almost part of the conversation at this point. They’re all doing it. “She has that begging look in her eyes.” 

Shido feels Jewel’s hand on his thigh. There if he needs it. He should probably make more use of her; she’s being very helpful tonight and Shido is in no position to look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes to sex. (The truth is…it’s been getting worse and worse. His little problem. The…well, the impotence. Shido hasn’t been able to have sex in weeks. Even when he’s drunk, even with Jewel. It’s at the point now that Shido is almost ready to swallow his pride and see a doctor. …Almost.) If Jewel is offering her services, willingly submitting to every depraved fantasy in Shido’s mind (even letting him feel her up at will, in front of everyone) he should be smart and take the offer. 

But honestly…

As soon as a glass is placed in his hand, Shido drinks from it. His mouth has gone numb. He can’t taste what he’s drinking anymore. He doesn’t care. He knows it’s alcohol. Good enough. 

Honestly Shido can’t be bothered with Jewel tonight. With any of these women. Prostitutes are enjoyable enough, but sometimes it’s tedious. Manufacturing an attraction that Shido doesn’t always feel. Having to live up to the expectations of his performance in his own mind. It can become a hassle. 

Tonight, Shido really just wants to get drunk. 

He’s already there. Actually, he past drunk a while ago. Now he’s gunning for the next stage. The most appealing stage of all: Oblivion. 

“How much did you have to pay her?” Ishihama asks. He’s new. The director of the federal bank. As Shido’s victory approaches, he figures he better have the guy on his side. But, Ishihama seems to be a disappointingly straight shooter. He’s married, Shido knows that. And he’s antsy around his prostitute. Shaking in his shoes whenever she touches him. 

Tch. Shido is disgusted by that kind of behavior. Weakness in the face of a woman. Pathetic. 

“What are you talking about?” the TV president fires back. “I didn’t pay her anything! She’s no prostitute. She’s an idol. And that’s even better.” He shakes his head. “Those girls will give you whatever you want. For free. As long as you promise to make them famous.” 

Sighing, Shido drinks more. He’s bored to death with this conversation. He doesn’t particularly like any of the people here. The TV president’s brags about his sexual escapades are getting on Shido’s nerves. He wishes they were drinking more and not talking so much. It’s easier when everyone is wasted. When they’re into their own prostitutes and not so much into each other’s business. 

And. Shido feels the invisible burn of Akechi’s eyes on him. It’s a mark on his skin. No, deeper than skin. His son’s gaze is an ear worm digging into his brain making it impossible to think about anything else. A song stuck in his head for hours and hours, days and weeks, on repeat. 

The dreams are driving him crazy. The memories of that time. His mouth smolders with the aftertaste of Goro’s lip. Everything. The sweet smell of him. His bony figure. His screams. His claws, raking down Shido’s back. The feel of his tight body opening up to Shido. The taste of his neck, his chest, his nipples…

It’s unreal.

Goro is the only one who can turn Shido into a complete animal. A thing that wants nothing but sex, regardless of the consequences. Shido doesn’t know what the hell happened to him in the palace, but he knows what he became. Some kind of monster. Intent only on fucking his son. 

It’s a horrible thought, but…the memory of how good that sex was will haunt Shido forever. 

Such a shame. 

By the time this drink is finished, Shido’s head is spinning. He puts his glass down and it makes a loud crash. Strangely enough. 

The people around the table go quiet. Ishihama asks hesitantly, “Are you alright, Shido-sama?” 

“Just get someone to clean it up,” Ooe orders. Feet scamper away. 

Shido closes his eyes. Puts a hand on his face. His forehead has also gone numb. He can barely feel the weight of his body in this chair. The world seems to waver, as if tossed by the gentle waves of the sea. Are they on a ship? 

“ ’M fine…fine,” Shido mutters. Rocking with the motion of the waves. He’s been this drunk (and much worse) before. He’ll live. 

Suddenly there’s a waiter sweeping up broken glass around his feet. How did that get there? And why is his hand empty? He’s been without a drink for several minutes! The people here are slacking. He holds out his empty hand, waiting for someone to rectify this mistake. 

But all he feels is Jewel’s hand, filling the space against his palm where a drink should be. “You’re getting very drunk, Mr. Prime Minister,” she whispers in his ear. 

“Just shut up,” he snipes. The last goddamn thing he needs is a woman telling him what to do! Especially a woman who’s teetering on the edge of being useless to him! She can’t even get him hard anymore… 

She says nothing in response. There are other voices around him but Shido can’t tell who they belong to. When he opens his eyes, the sight that greets him is a blurry mess. He’s having a difficult time distinguishing the floor from the table, from the walls, from the muddy faces of the people in front of him. Everything just looks like one dark smudge. 

This world is so disappointing. People are too easily manipulated. No one is trustworthy. There’s nothing good or beautiful left in this whole goddamn mess. Shido wants to stand at the top of this world, but in the end….he’ll just be standing on a big pile of garbage. 

He suddenly feels very tired. He leans his head back.

The imminent darkness is familiar. Shido doesn’t think twice about surrendering to it.

__________________________ 

Goro leaps to his feet. Finally! Shido seems to have passed out. 

Wow, seven drinks! That’s dangerous as hell, Goro notes, tucking his hair behind his ear and arranging himself into a picture of honesty and forthrightness. Shido can really pack it away! In reality, there’s no such thing as ‘naturally strong tolerance’ or a ‘hollow leg.’ There’s just experience and barely concealed alcoholism. Shido really does have a problem. 

But that fits nicely into Goro’s move.

He approaches Shido’s table, where the other men are calling his name loudly. “Shido-sama? Are you alright? Shido-sama?” Of course, none of them are confident enough to actually lay a hand on him. They just stand around him braying. Jewel is on her feet, clutching her phone. Ready to bounce out of there if she needs to.

“It’s alright, he’s fine.” Goro steps into the middle of the crowd. His practiced, well-honed virtue shines with crystal clarity. “Shido-san drank too much. Please excuse us. This happens sometimes.” Goro bows to everyone around the table, as well as everyone else in the club who is staring.

Ooe sighs. He takes another sip of his own drink and says, “Well. It would hardly be the first time.” 

The TV president sits down. He presses a kiss against his woman’s cleavage. “Tell me about it. Shido-sama certainly does like to hit the sauce. Isn’t this happening a bit too much lately, though?” 

Goro bows again. Not surprised to hear that. “Thank you for your understanding. I’ll take care of Shido-san for the rest of the evening. I ask that you all please enjoy yourselves to the fullest. Help yourselves to whatever you like, as always.” He hooks one of Shido’s limp arms around his shoulders, ready to carry him.

The other men have already lost interest. They’re turning now to their women, occupied by their own plans for the night. They seem more than ready to let Goro handle the problem of an unconscious Shido. No one even spares him a second glance.

Goro could carry Shido alone, but he has another plan. He pretends like Shido is too heavy. Then he turns, wide-eyed and polite, to Jewel and asks, “Will you help me carry him to his room?” 

She blinks. Then she nods and wordlessly takes hold of Shido’s other arm. 

“Pardon the inconvenience, Jewel-san,” Goro chimes. “I appreciate your help.” 

Together, Goro and Jewel carry Shido’s slack, unconscious body to his private room. Jewel has the key, of course. She opens the door without question. Carefully, they lay Shido down on the bed and arrange his limbs so that he’s in a somewhat dignified position. Goro gently removes Shido’s glasses and places them on the nightstand. Jewel even throws a sheet over him. 

Goro eyes her distastefully. Well. She’s certainly comfortable here, isn’t she? 

“Thank you,” he says, the knife-edge of his tone creeping out. “I’ll take your key now. If you don’t mind.” 

“Um…” Jewel glances at the key in her hand. Hesitating. Wheels are turning in her head. 

Goro obfuscates with logic. “I’m going to be looking after him until he wakes up. I’m the one who should have the key, don’t you think?” 

Jewel narrows her eyes. She’s staring into Goro’s reddish brown eyes like she’s trying to read the thoughts behind them. Whatever she finds convinces her. She hands the key over to Goro without a word. 

But she’s not smiling. Not pretending to be the aloof courtesan she’s been playing all night. It’s obvious that she doesn’t trust him.

And she shouldn’t.

“Thank you again,” he says, nodding at her. “You’re a sensible person, I can tell. I have some more orders for you, so please pay attention.” He stands up straight. The cold smile on his face is a sharp testament to his seriousness. “You are going to wait in here for another ten minutes. Then you’re going to leave and tell the bartender that Shido woke up, but he’s still groggy. You’re going to tell him that Shido asked me to tend to him. No one else, just me. You’re going to say that Shido doesn’t want his usual 9:00 am wake-up call. And that he is not to be disturbed by anyone. Absolutely no one. Under any circumstances. Is that clear?” 

She stares at him. After a moment, her head tilts to one side. 

“Oh, and,” Goro almost forgot! “When you get home, you’re going to bill Shido twice the usual amount. And I’m going to make sure you get it. Does that sound acceptable?” 

At that, Jewel nods. She puts aside whatever misgivings she had about Goro and takes a seat on the chair in front of the vanity. “Alright,” she says. “Ten minutes, yeah?” 

“Well, nine now.” Goro pulls out his phone and sets a timer. Showing it to her in an effort to be completely transparent. She nods and crosses her arms. Silent, but complacent. 

The next nine minutes are the most tenuous part of Goro’s plan. He fought with himself over making it ten or five minutes that Jewel has to wait. He wishes he could have made it five, but. Ten is the safer option. Gives people enough time to forget about Shido and thoroughly stop caring. Still…

Goro glances over at Shido. He is dead to the world. Snoring. Mouth open. Well. Goro was anxious about the possibility that Shido might wake up over the course of these ten minutes. It seems he probably doesn’t need to worry about that. A marching band playing at top volume wouldn’t wake Shido up at this point. So, at least that box is checked. 

But there are other people outside the door. Goro is low-key concerned that someone else from the club might be worried about him and come running in before Jewel can give her directions.

Only time will tell…

Goro and Jewel sit in complete silence for the next nine minutes. Jewel takes out her phone and fiddles with it, texting or playing games or whatever. Goro just sits there on the bed. A safe distance away from Shido’s slumbering form. Imperceptibly tapping his fingers against the sheet to contain his anxiety. 

The timer breaks through the silence like a jackhammer. They both jump. Apparently the tension was higher than Goro realized. He smiles at Jewel and says, “That’s all. Thank you for tonight. Remember my directions, and what I said about the bill. Alright?” 

Jewel gathers her clutch bag and nods. She doesn’t look over at Shido (like he doesn’t even exist) as she says, “Right.” She leaves before Goro can ask her to do anything else. 

Goro spies on her from the door, opened just a crack. He watches Jewel speak to the bartender, catching snippets of their conversation. He hears that she’s following his instructions precisely. 

Smart woman. Good. 

Now he’s alone with Shido. Who slumbers on. It’s quiet. The only sounds are labored breathing and the distant conversation and music on the other side of the door. This room is an island, Goro realizes. He clutches the key Jewel gave him. This room is his kingdom. 

Not Shido’s kingdom. Goro’s.

He leaves the room only once. To get a backpack that he stashed in the utility closet at the end of the hallway. He hid that backpack there as soon as he came in. It’s only been a few hours. No one has checked the closet since then. It’s right where he left it. 

Returning to the room, Goro makes sure the door is locked behind him. Even that—the locked door—makes him feel powerful. If anyone wants to come into this room, to get to Shido, they need to get through Goro first. 

He looks up at the ceiling. Smiling so wide his cheeks hurt. He’s so close—

But first. 

The chair in front of the vanity is not the usual stool. It’s a high-backed wooden chair you’d typically find at a writing desk. Goro hates how gaudy that vanity table is, and the chair is even uglier. It ruins the chic decor of this room. But, he reasons, the sex workers need a place to fix their appearance when their jobs are done. And Shido needs a place to get himself ready in the morning as well. 

Besides, Goro can’t complain. The chair is perfect. He places it in the middle of the room.

Then he turns to Shido’s unconscious body. “Pardon me, Shido-san.” His voice is darker than he meant it to be. Actually, he doesn’t remember choosing to speak at all. That little quip came out on its own.

It’s funny, though. Speaking to Shido’s unconscious body. It’s funny as hell. 

Giggling, Goro drags Shido off the bed and into the chair. It takes a few tries to get him into a sitting position—his body is so lifeless it keeps flopping over! Then Goro pulls all the tools out of his backpack. He lays them on the bed one by one. 

Rope. A silk blindfold. Some other carefully chosen things. 

He takes his time tying Shido to the chair. Enjoys it. Shido is so drunk he would let anyone do anything to him. Where is all that manly strength he shows to the rest of the world? That haughty pride? 

Bound and blindfolded, Shido looks like a present. Wrapped just for Goro. 

“For me?” Goro places a hand on his chest and laughs. He doesn’t know who he’s talking to. “Oh, you shouldn’t have! How thoughtful. Just what I always wanted.” 

At this point, he’s already won. 

Grinning from ear to ear, Goro takes off his all clothes. One piece at a time. In no hurry whatsoever. He enjoys this, too. Once he’s naked, he lays on the bed and starts stroking himself. He’s staring at Shido’s tied up body while he masturbates, thinking of all the things he’s about to do. After everything he’s been through, between Shido and The Captain and the cognitive version of himself, Goro is not ashamed of his own nakedness. Rather, his nakedness makes him feel powerful. Clothes are a lie, he knows, anyone can wear anything to make themselves look like whatever they want. 

Besides, Goro knows what his nude body does to Shido. What it means.

Goro is the one with all the power now.

“Ngh…” He rolls onto his back and strokes himself harder. It’s such a thrill! Power rumbles through his veins like oncoming thunder. Speeding up his heart rate. Making him harder and harder, until Goro thinks he might even be able to cum. 

He should cum. He should stand in front of Shido and cum all over that bastard’s face. Make him lick it up. Slap him with his cock and tell him to clean the rest. He knows that Shido is good at sucking dick, the hypocrite. (Lady’s man? Don’t make Goro laugh! Shido excels at sucking dick and eating ass. He’s nothing but a cheap pervert, through and through.) Shido would probably even get off on Goro’s cock in his mouth, since he wants it so badly…

But no. No, not yet. Goro stops himself before he cums. It’s no fun humiliating Shido while the man is still asleep! He needs to be conscious to truly appreciate it. 

So. Goro has nothing left to do but bide his time. How long it’ll take Shido to wake up from his drunken stupor is anyone’s guess.

The waiting is fun, though. Goro doesn’t even turn on the TV. Ogling Shido’s hogtied form is as good as watching any drama.

_____________________________________

Black unconsciousness is a muck that grips Shido tightly. Refusing to let him go. He tries to roll over in his sleep, but somehow can’t. He doesn’t know why. 

His mouth is dry. He needs water. 

Licking his lips, Shido tastes the first few stirrings of awareness. He tries to open his eyes, but again he cannot. His cheek itches and he raises a hand to wipe it…something is stopping him. He can’t move his hands.

“Are you awake?” 

Shido hears a familiar voice nearby. He’s starting to be able to discern sounds again. Which actually sucks, the come down after a nice high, the harsh snap of reality. He fights it for a bit, sleeping some more.

“Come on. Wake up. It’s been hours.” 

Shido shakes his head at the voice. He feels like some is…wrong. He can’t understand what yet. But there’s something not right. 

Where is he?

He tries again to open his eyes and fails. There is fabric against his eyes, blocking him. When he attempts to swat the fabric away, he realizes his hands are stuck behind his back. Rough material digs into his wrists. His ankles too. 

He’s in a chair. Sitting down. 

“What…?” What the fuck is this? His brain feels ancient and slow. Lumbering towards a possible answer. He has no idea what’s going. 

“Here.” 

Something cool touches his lips. Shido realizes quickly that it’s water. He’s dying of thirst! So he opens his lips and lets this person pour water into his mouth. He guzzles it down. 

“Take it easy. Don’t choke.” 

Shido ignores the words. Sucking at the water, tilting his head back, until the glass is drained. It’s awkward. Some inevitably spills down his front and into his lap. But Shido barely notices. He feels much better after he’s had something to drink.

“There. Better? Are you totally awake now?” 

Shido takes a deep breath. Of course his head is pounding. That’s to be expected. But the world is still dark. He can’t open his eyes or move his body. He twists against his bonds, using a bit more force. It’s useless. He can barely even raise his shoulders. 

“Where…?” he mumbles. Looking around in spite of his blindness.

“Where are we? We’re in your club, Shido-san. In your private room. Don’t you remember?” 

When Shido takes a moment to think, he does remember. He was drinking at one of his parties. Ooe was there and that TV president. Someone else too…Shido can’t remember the name. The last thing he remembers is some banal conversation about idols. How did he get here?

“How…?” 

“I carried you.” A hand swipes at his chin. Cleaning the water that spilled. Shido’s instinct is to recoil from it. He twitches in confusion. “Well. Jewel-san helped too. Don’t worry, I took the liberty of signing into your bank account and sending her double her usual rate. So she’s well-compensated, no need to be concerned.” 

_ Double?!  _ That’s a fortune! For a woman who’s barely earned the right to bill him at all! “What the  _ fuck… _ ?” he spits.

Now he’s awake. Alert. The anger has riled his senses and jostled his brain. He tugs against his bonds—realizing all at once that he’s bound. He’s been tied up. While he was unconscious? Definitely. Not only that, he’s blindfolded. 

He’s been taken prisoner. Now he’s someone’s hostage.

“What the hell is this?” Shido growls. Pulling as hard as he can against the ropes. They don’t budge. “What’s going on?” 

“Mm, well…if I had to summarize what’s happening right now, I would say…” The person in front Shido pauses. His voice is so familiar. It tingles the edges of Shido’s mind and makes him itchy with impending realization…he knows this person…he just can’t  _ quite _ pinpoint… 

“I tied you to the chair in your private room while you were passed out.” His voice takes on a darker tone. “Tch. You stupid, sloppy drunk. It’s amazing no one’s tried anything on you before now. You really left yourself open to anything, drinking yourself into a stupor like that. You’re lucky I haven’t done anything to you yet.” 

‘Yet.’ That word hangs heavy in the air.

Shido freezes. He thinks he’s placed the voice now. 

“So. What’s going to happen from this point on is that you’re going to do whatever I say. You’re going to hear me out and follow everything I tell you to do, down to the last detail. Sound good?” 

A weight drops in Shido’s stomach. He knows who this is. It’s impossible…could it really be…?

“…Akechi?” Shido’s lips burn with the name. “Is that you?” 

“Oh, it’s me, Shido-san. Believe it.” A slender hand cups Shido’s cheek. “It’s your son.” 

Shido flinches at the truth of those words. He jerks his head away from Akechi’s hand. Disgust and roiling shame swirl inside him, leaving a bitter taste on his tongue. He wants to deny it. To say that it’s not true, that he has no idea what Akechi is talking about, but…what’s the point? When he’s already being humiliated like this?

He clenches his teeth and says nothing. His wrists hurt from straining against the ropes. 

“Ah, I should mention.” Akechi’s voice is different. Not as high as it normally is. “I’m recording all of this on my phone’s video. I checked the angle and you’ll be happy to know that the camera catches you in quite a good light. It’s obvious who you are. Me, as well. I think I look rather good, even without the filters on.” He giggles and then he adds, caustically, “And I’m naked.” 

Shido’s muscles tighten painfully. “W-what…?” 

“Yup.” Akechi runs his fingers under Shido’s chin. Taunting him. “I’m as naked as the day I was born. Not that you would know, since you weren’t there to see it. But trust me. I look great, okay? The camera picks up all the little details. People watching can probably even tell what religion I am, you know?” 

Holy shit…! 

Blistering panic rises in Shido’s chest. He heaves a shuddering breath. Things like cameras set him so ill at ease! In a way…in a very real way, having Akechi naked on camera, saying things no one should ever hear, is Shido’s worst nightmare.

And this kid knows that. Fuck.

“God damn it, Akechi!!” Shido roars. “What the hell do you want?” 

“You’ll find out,” he answers. “But let me finish explaining first. Right now, the camera is recording to my personal cloud account. After tonight, I’m going to decide what to do with this footage. What I decide depends entirely on the things you do and say here. If you follow my directions, it will probably become nothing more than an interesting home video for me to show your grandkids someday. If you don’t, then…” He sighs. “You’ll get a good look at the video yourself on the nightly news. I have connections with all the major media companies in Tokyo, you know I do. So you’ll probably be seeing this everywhere. On every channel. On the skyscrapers in Shibuya, on the front page of every newspaper—”

“Alright, alright!” This kid really has him over a barrel! He’s played his cards right. A story like this would destroy everything he’s worked so hard for. Even if it’s potentially a bluff, Shido can’t take that risk! So he is ready to deal. “Just tell me what you want!” 

Akechi giggles. He’s lost his whole damn mind. Maybe he wasn’t playing with a full deck to begin with. If Shido is being honest, he sort of knew that. This kid…this kid has some real darkness in him. He murders people for free. For nothing. Just because Shido wants him to. And now…Shido is getting a taste of that for himself. 

It’s sickening. It’s painful. Like a knife in his gut. Shido feels…a little bit…not  _ responsible _ , but—

“What I want is so easy, Shido-san. You’re going to laugh at how easy it is!” He comes closer. Shido pulls away from him on instinct, bucking against the bonds. “All I want is for you to tell the truth. That’s it! So simple. Just tell the truth. For once in your sordid, pathetic life.” 

…So. That’s it then. Shido sees, now. He understands what Akechi is after. Turbulent guilt mixes with shame and real fear inside him. He can’t really see a way out of this. These ropes aren’t getting any looser. And he can’t do anything when he’s tied to this chair. Except…

“If I do this, and you go to the press, you’ll be destroyed too,” Shido points out. “Everything you worked for, the whole persona you’ve built for the public, will be ruined. Don’t you see that?” 

“Of course!” Akechi is snarling now. Low and ugly. It’s a tone Shido has never heard him use before. “And? So.  _ What _ ?!” 

Shido is momentarily floored by Akechi’s answer. And the shocking difference in him. Shido feels like he’s seen glimpses of this before, but never so plainly. Is this who Akechi really is? Unmasked? 

“Don’t bullshit me anymore, Shido. I’ve had it with that!” Akechi is not screaming, but it’s close. “I know you’re planning to kill me after the election! I found out everything just by snooping around your palace!” 

The words are pins and needles poking at the heart of Shido. A heart he thought, until this very moment, was invulnerable. 

“What do I care about reputation?! You’ll definitely kill me once this gets out, so I’m dead either way!” Akechi actually laughs. “Reputation is quite meaningless to a dead man.” 

A slow feeling of regret, (tinged with the  _ other _ thing, the thing making his heart bleed), washes over Shido. He lowers his face.

Alright, so. Yes, of course. Shido was going to have Goro killed after the election. That was his plan from the beginning. 

But recently…

It’s not like he’s changed the plan. Shido doesn’t go back on his plans unless there’s a very, very good reason. Solid logic with poll numbers and calculations. So, he’s still very much going to kill the kid (especially after this crazy stunt!). But, he’d be lying if he didn’t mention…

The idea has crossed his mind once or twice. Letting Akechi live. He can’t, obviously, and he won’t. But he’s thought every now and then (probably when drunk) that it might be nice if he didn’t kill him. If he let this little game of theirs continue. Since Akechi is really the only person alive on this earth whom Shido can talk to and that can understand him. Akechi knows Shido better than anyone. Regardless of all the other stuff, Akechi is Shido’s closest confidant. The person who walks him through the difficult parts of the plan. Who offers valuable suggestions and obeys Shido’s wishes without complaining. He doesn’t fear Shido—that much is obvious—and in a way…Shido likes that. 

He’s enjoyed his partnership with Akechi. Everything else is a lie he tells himself to make it easier to push his real feelings away. Once they started down this path of sex games and teasing and lies…Shido’s feelings only grew. 

He doesn’t know how he could possibly give the order to kill Akechi now. And, conversely, he doesn’t know how to stop himself from giving it either. 

It’s a sad, hopeless quagmire that Shido has been running far away from. He’s been drinking more just to remember how much he hates Akechi for putting him through this. 

But now, with a searing headache in the sober light of morning, tied down and forced to listen to Akechi’s words, Shido can’t run from it anymore.

“I…” he starts. To his shame, he can’t finish the thought.

“What? You  _ what _ ?!” Akechi is growling at him like a beast. “Don’t feed me some line! I’m not one of your sheep on the street that believes everything you say! I’m not one of your whores, paid to say yes and do whatever you want!” He grabs Shido’s face between both hands. Digging his nails into the skin behind Shido’s ears. “I.  _ Know _ . You. I know you inside and out, you sorry fuck!” 

Shido winces against the pain of Akechi’s nails. They might be drawing blood. “I…I know. I know that.” 

“You….?” Akechi drops his hands with a tut of disgust and fury. He’s silent for a few minutes. When he speaks again, he’s a little calmer. “Great. So you know that. Congratulations. You’ve realized something that’s been glaringly obvious for years. Great job, Shido. What a man.” 

Shido says nothing. He’s furious with Akechi for speaking to him like that, for coming up with such a grimly perfect plan for ruining him, but he’s also…he’s mad at himself. He sees now that he’s made some grave mistakes. Serious, catastrophic missteps. 

He miscalculated Akechi. He underestimated him. Not only that…he should have…it’s been months since they went to the palace and he should have—

“So, as long as you’re in a confessing mood,” Akechi rejoins. “Why not confess some of your other sins? The things you’ve been hiding for so long it probably feels like second nature to you. How about it?” 

Shido’s shoulders sag. Shit. The realization that he’s fucked up very badly is overwhelming. His fingertips twitch. He longs to wind back the tape on reality and make some very drastic changes—

“Tell me who I am,” Akechi demands. “Admit it. Say it loud and clear for everyone watching!” He’s talking like he’s on one of his daytime shows. “Whose son am I? Tell the truth!” 

Shido takes a long, slow breath. Then, he says, like a man resigned to death, “You’re my son.” 

“What was that?” Akechi raises his voice. “I couldn’t quite catch it. And I want to make sure the microphones pick up every last word!” 

Shido’s face droops onto his chest. But he raises his head to say, enunciating clearly as asked, “You’re my son, Akechi. I, Shido Masayoshi, am your biological father.” 

There’s a terrible pause. Then Akechi bursts out laughing. Forced and painful, like he’s trying to disguise his screaming with a thin veil of humor. “There! The truth comes out! Oh my god, my mother would be so proud of me! Forcing you to admit it! Because you never could while she was alive.” He laughs again. “Holy shit, I almost want to hug you! Should I?” 

Long, bare arms wrap around Shido’s neck. He gets a heady whiff of Goro’s natural scent. It hits him right between the eyes like a bullet. The panic and anger and shame in him hiss violently as they mix with another feeling…rising to the surface with alarming speed…

Rather quickly, Akechi pulls away. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I don’t know why I did that. Just felt like the right thing to do. After all, you’re my father! We’ve got years of catching up to do! Let’s start from the beginning. First of all, how long have you known who I am?” 

Shido swallows hard. His pulse is too uneven for his own liking. “Since the moment I met you,” he admits. “I knew as soon as I saw you that you were mine. I could tell. You reminded me of her and…the timing seemed about right.” 

“Did you ever confirm it?” 

“Yes, naturally.” The words are coming out easily. It’s not surprising. These facts have lingered in the shadows around their bodies for too long. “I had my people check up on your public records. I found out your history. Who your mother was. Everything.” 

“I see. So you’ve known for the past two and a half years that I’m your son. That’s never been a secret, has it?” 

“Not to me, no.” 

“And my mother…” Akechi’s voice drops even lower. “You know what happened to her obviously, right? What she did?” 

“…yes.” Shido prefers not to think about this. He’s never confronted it head on before. He just filed it in his brain under ‘unfortunate mental weaknesses in the masses’ and left it at that. 

“So then say it.” 

Shido’s lips tighten. He doesn’t want to say it. Not to Goro, at least. And especially not while there’s a camera rolling somewhere in the background—

“ _ Say it _ .” 

It’s not an option. Shido knows. He has to just— “She committed suicide. When you were young.” 

Akechi stops. The sound of his swallowing is deafening. He presses on, “Because?” 

“Because she…” Shido hates these words in his mouth. He hates them vehemently. They might be the worst thing he’s ever said (and he’s talked some shit in his life). “…she couldn’t live with the shame of having an illegitimate child. And the pain of my rejection.” 

“That’s right. So she died because of you.” 

“That’s not—”

“Admit it!!” 

Shido sighs. “She…died because of me.” 

Of course that’s not the truth! Shido didn’t have anything to do with her death! She decided all on her own to keep the baby and raise it. Shido just denied her access to his wallet, refusing to pay and own up to something he did not want (and that was also entirely illegal because she was a prostitute). He never told her to kill herself! She made those choices. Not Shido!

…But. It’s not  _ not _ the truth, either.

“I’m…” There’s something burning in the back of Shido’s throat. He swallows but it won’t go away. 

He knows what he has to say. This is also the truth. He hates that Goro had to experience all of that at such a young age. It’s not right. No one should, least of all a child. Goro was innocent when he was born. He didn’t know anything of his parents’ sins. He was just a kid. And then when his mother killed herself he was thrust into the thick of it, the worst parts of society. Things that Shido knows too well, but doesn’t like to think about. 

“I’m sorry, Goro…” Shido says softly. Looking in the direction where he thinks his son is standing. “I’m sorry you went through that.” 

“You’re….sorry….?” The words come out choked. Shido doesn’t know if Goro is crying, but. His hands strain against the bonds for entirely different reason now. 

Then, he gets slapped in the face.  _ Hard _ . Harder than anyone’s ever slapped Shido in his entire fifty plus years of life. 

“Fuck your worthless sorry!!” Akechi slaps Shido again. The force of it gives him whiplash. “Sorry doesn’t change anything! So just…shut the fuck up!” 

Akechi slaps him again and again. He keeps going. Throws in some punches here and there. He’s venting some kind of anger that’s been building for longer than Shido can know. And he’s not holding anything back! He hits Shido with his full strength, leaving cuts along Shido’s cheekbones and bruises that will last for days. 

The pain doesn’t matter. Shido doesn’t care about pain. What he’s worried about is that he will have marks that will be difficult to explain later. This is the face he presents to the public. Now it has a few hard to miss scrapes given to him by none other than Akechi. His own son.

It starts to sink in that Shido will not get out of this unscathed. One way or another. There is a price to be paid here. And it will not be paid in this room alone. The world outside will be different once they inevitably leave here. That is, if Akechi lets both of them leave alive.

Shido allows himself to be hit. There isn’t anything he can do to stop it, first of all. And also…well, truth be told, he knows he had this coming. In a way, he wishes Goro’s mother would have beat him up like this back then instead of killing herself. Then maybe…

It wouldn’t have changed anything. Even if it did, that means Shido may never have met Goro. At least, not like they know each other now. 

As he sucks on a cut in his lip, tasting his own blood for the first time in many, many years, Shido realizes: You can’t change the past. There’s nothing to be done. He’ll take his lumps in the present and…that’s the end of it. What else can he do? 

When Akechi tires himself out, he steps away. Panting. His hands must be sore (not half as sore as Shido’s face, though). He really gave that beating his all. 

They don’t say anything for several long, awkward minutes. Shido’s ears strain to hear what his son might be doing. But it sounds like he’s standing still. Not doing anything. 

“What now?” Shido asks, spitting blood onto the floor. He’s still at Goro’s mercy. 

“Tch. Now…” Akechi’s voice is trembling. A laugh builds from somewhere terrifying. It spills out of him like water. “Oh, I’m not anywhere near done with you. You sick bastard.” 

Of course. He should have known.

________________________________

Joy sings through the swelling on Goro’s knuckles. The ache in his palms. 

He finally did it! After years of dreaming about it, Goro finally did what he set out to do. He got Shido to admit the truth—on camera!—and apologize to him and his mother for wronging them in the past. 

At last! Goro looks up at the ceiling, imagining he can see through it, through the entire building, through the sky, to the place where his mother might be now. Somewhere. Is she watching? Is she proud of him? Is she laughing at Shido, who’s gotten himself into this humiliating position? Is she happy, finally? In a way that Goro never knew her to be in life? 

Goro’s hands are shaking. It felt so good to beat the shit out of Shido! It was perfect! Awesome! He could have gone on for much longer but…

But he…

He isn’t satisfied. There’s an ache in his chest that won’t go away. He was in so much pain when Shido blatantly said all those things about his past. Goro had anticipated it would feel victorious to hear those things from his father’s own mouth, but in reality…it hurt. A lot. Knowing that Shido knew all along. That he…maybe that he even regrets it a little bit…

That hurts worst of all. Goro can’t let himself imagine that it could be the case. That Shido actually has some morality left in him, that he regrets causing Goro and his mother so much strife. That he wants…

What the fuck does Shido even want? 

How is it possible that Goro has been inside Shido’s palace so many fucking times and he doesn’t even know what this man  _ wants _ ? 

He stares at Shido. His face is puffy and bleeding in some places from Goro’s beating. He’s hanging his head low. Goro stares at him and feels raw. He raked himself over the coals with that one. Hearing all that. Reliving those moments from his childhood when he hated Shido the most. Being forced to see those moments as an adult and knowing…that Shido is just a man. Nothing more, nothing less. He’s a man. Fallible. Imperfect. Stupid. Selfish. But human.

He’s a man. 

Goro digs his nails into his arms, hugging himself. He wants to hate Shido more! He should! He should hate him even more now that everything is out in the open! But he…doesn’t. In fact, his hate for Shido feels like a distant thing all of a sudden. Like a sailboat disappearing over the horizon. In its wake, Goro mostly just feels pain. A kind of longing. The begging hands of his youth. Those hands are serpents now, wrapping themselves around Goro’s body and choking him with their yearning. 

He wants…he wants Shido to…

“What now?” the man asks. He sounds defeated, but Goro knows there must be some fight still in him. Somewhere. 

“Tch.” What, did he think they were done? Fucking idiot! “Now? Oh, I’m not anywhere near done with you. You sick bastard.” 

Shido doesn’t even flinch. Isn’t he scared? Doesn’t he wish this was all over? Isn’t he going to beg for mercy and grovel or something?! 

That would make Goro happy! Seeing Shido begging like the dog he is! That’ll definitely satisfy him!

It will. It will, it will, it will…it will. Certainly, it will—

Goro regroups his confidence. Rounds on Shido again. “Now you’re going to admit everything else you’ve been hiding from me. And from yourself too. You pervert.” 

Shido’s head rises at that. His guard is back up. Ah. He must know what that means, right?

Get ready, asshole. Goro grins to himself. 

Goro slinks over to his father. Rests both hands on his shoulders. Shido tenses at the touch. But Goro will be gentle! For now, anyway. He massages Shido’s shoulders. Acquainting himself with the muscles there, which he was never allowed to touch before. 

“The reports from our trip into your palace are straightforward,” Goro begins. He slides one hand around to Shido’s front. Playing with the buttons of his dress shirt. “We were unable to establish the psychic lock because we were preemptively attacked by shadows. The mental strain was too much for you, and you passed out. We left. That was all. A categorical failure. Nothing more.” 

Goro leans in close, whispering in Shido’s ear, “But that’s not the whole story, is it?” 

Shido grunts. It’s a low sound. If Goro wasn’t practically on top of him, he might not have even heard it. But as it is, Goro knows exactly what he heard. Shido is not unaffected by this. Not by a long-shot. 

Smiling, Goro licks the shell of Shido’s ear. Watches in delight as he shivers. “You remember what you did to me in the palace. Don’t you?” 

Shido stiffens. His mouth is a tight, pale line. He’s hardly even breathing. 

Oh, he remembers. 

Wild with the rush of validation, Goro kisses him on the cheek. “Hm? What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” 

He presses his fingers against Shido’s lips. Sensually at first, stroking his bottom lip. Then, he digs his fingers in, trying to pry Shido’s mouth open. “You can say it! I’m not embarrassed! And you aren’t either—at least you weren’t embarrassed that night you spent with Jewel. Fucking her in the ass. Telling her to scratch you up, just like I did to you when I was the Black Mask…”

“What…?” Shido’s face jerks in Goro’s direction. “You…?”

The sound of the curtain dropping is music to Goro’s ears. “That’s right, Shido-san. I was watching you. I followed the two of you in here, wasn’t even hard to do. Neither of you noticed because, well, you were a little preoccupied, I guess. You were screaming my name at the top of your lungs while you fucked her.” He giggles. “Was I really that good? So good that you couldn’t get the image out of your head: Me, on my back, with my legs in the air?” 

He kisses Shido on the mouth. Passionately. Like he’s been wanting to do for ages. This time, Shido can’t push him away. But he keeps his mouth firmly closed. Goro doesn’t even care. He kisses him hard all the same. “Just be honest, Shido. You’ve had my face rattling around inside your balls ever since you fucked me. Isn’t that right?” 

Shido finally lets out a breath. He couldn’t hold it for much longer, it seems. Goro takes the opportunity to stick his tongue in his mouth. Kissing him brutally. The way they did when they were in the palace. Except now, Goro is taking the lead. 

“It’s okay to admit it,” Goro prompts. Stroking Shido’s face lovingly. “Your cock must be aching for me. It’s wrong to deny yourself. The you inside your palace would be ashamed, frankly.” Goro’s eyes drag downwards. He finds his prize. “And oh, look at this…” 

He grabs a fistful of Shido’s shamefully obvious hard-on. The man is at full attention. From nothing but Goro’s teasing touches, whispers, and kisses. If that’s not a glaring endorsement, then what is! 

He works Shido’s erection in his hand for a bit. It grows and strains against its confines. “Well, this part of you is honest, at least.” He squeezes and Shido’s cock twitches mightily. Goro lets out a sultry gasp. “Wow! You’re hard enough to kill a man down here! Are you okay?” 

Shido’s thighs clench and unclench. He grits his teeth. Clearly trying to deny the pleasure he’s experiencing. But Goro won’t let him! Not after all the torture he’s been through, masturbating in bathroom stalls because he couldn’t control himself! Shido deserves this! 

Goro opens Shido’s pants in record time. He reaches inside and pulls out his hard, angry cock. It’s as thick and proud as Goro remembers. He can’t hold back a shiver. The place in back of him, that place The Captain helped train, is twitching again. Goro remembers  _ exactly  _ how it feels to be impaled on this thing and he wants it…

He runs thumb along the throbbing vein on the underside of Shido’s cock. It trembles in a dangerous way, like it might release at any moment. Shido’s shoulders are shaking and his breath keeps getting stuck in his throat. 

Just how pent up is he? 

Regardless, Goro teases that cock with his delicate fingers. Bringing him to a state of arousal that must be painful. Shido’s dick is jutting out from his fly at full mast, getting redder by the second. It’s a cock that needs to be inside something, Goro muses. It needs to feel something hot and warm clenching it tight. Maybe not just ‘something.’ Maybe Shido’s cock has been craving Goro specifically. 

That’s a nice thought. 

“Come on, Shido,” Goro sighs. Flicking the tip of Shido’s dick and delighting in the answering groans. “Just say it already. Tell me how you fucked me that time. I mean, the camera can see your whole cock and everything. So it’s really no secret anymore.” 

He pinches the tip, fascinated by the way Shido shifts uncomfortably, and by the pre-cum that gathers along his slit. Goro licks his lips unconsciously. It occurs to him that he’s never had a taste of Shido’s dick and he really would like to…

But suddenly Shido explodes in a shout. So loud that spittle flies out of his mouth. “You were begging me for it! What was I supposed to do—”

“No I wasn’t! I  _ wasn’t _ !” Goro swats Shido’s dick angrily in retaliation. 

“Yes you were!” Shido is way too loud! “You were crying for me to hold you and put my dick in you!” 

“That’s only because—!” Goro’s face is red. It’s silly that he’s suddenly embarrassed  _ now _ , after everything! But he doesn’t want Shido to have the satisfaction! “Because you held me down and forced me—!”

“I did not!” 

“You made me like it!” The argument doesn’t make sense. But. “I fought you every step of the way, you sick freak!” 

“Yeah, right up until I ate you out.” Shido smirks. Heedless of the consequences. This is a matter of pride now. “And then you turned into a begging little cockslut, screeching for me to put it in you. Like you always wanted—"

“Shut up! Just shut  _ up _ !”

Goro knows a way to get Shido to shut the fuck up. His knees hit the ground and he dives on Shido’s cock, stuffing the whole thing in his mouth before Shido can get another word in. 

It’s  _ so _ big. Too big! It stretches Goro’s jaw to its limits. It hits the back of his throat too fast and makes tears spring to Goro’s eyes. But it’s…delicious. The hot, heavy weight of it. Salty and musky. Goro’s tongue slides along the ridges of that cock in worship, memorizing the feel. Every vein and curve requires some of Goro’s attention. He can tell—somehow, just from the taste alone—that Shido’s cock needs his mouth. Badly. 

He wraps his lips around the base and sucks. Bobbing his head up and down. This is far from Goro’s first time giving head. He’s something of an expert. In fact, he recently had an opportunity to get some practice doing this. With the cognitive version of himself. 

But Shido’s cock is noting like that creature’s.

Shido’s cock is manly and rough. It’s too thick for anyone to take comfortably in their mouth, but Goro is determined to try. He makes unfortunate, overwhelmed sounds as he straightens his back and puts all his effort into sucking. He wants Shido to remember this blowjob. If it’s the last thing he does.

“Ooh…” 

Sure enough, Shido lets out a warbling moan. Goro glances up to watch the show. Shido tosses his head back, pushing his hips forward to feed Goro more of his cock. 

He’s loving this. 

A flutter of happiness beats its tiny wings inside Goro’s heart. His chest shudders. Before he can think twice, he presses the heel of his palm against one of his nipples, which are both hard as hell. He teases his nipples, moaning softly, while he sucks Shido’s overbearing dick. 

“Oh…fff…fuck…” Shido’s hips rise to meet Goro’s mouth on every suck. 

Goro leans back, dragging his tongue from base to tip. Happy at the trail of saliva that connects them when he pulls away.. “You like that?” he asks, unnecessarily. 

“Yeah…yeah, Goro…” Shido grunts viscerally when Goro takes him again. “Your mouth is so… _ fucking _ perfect…” 

Tiny thrills spark along Goro’s nervous system. He loves that! He loves knowing that Shido wants him! Hearing it makes him giddy. 

Floating somewhere above himself, Goro keeps going. “You want me?” 

“Fuck yeah, you know I do…” Shido’s body tightens as Goro sucks him harder. “You already know I want you so much…you were made for me and I…there’s nothing that can compare to you, Goro.” 

The words don’t sound real. Goro needs to blink several times to remind himself that he isn’t dreaming. He’s not in the palace, they’re not drunk. This is real. This is honest. This is what they’ve been wanting to do to each other and Shido finally said it…! 

Something drips onto Goro’s thighs. He looks down, confused, and realizes that it came from above. He touches his face and feels—

“Ah, Goro, you’re going to make me cum, you know that? Ngh…keep going…”

But this time Goro doesn’t follow his father’s directions. He pops off and scoots away. Turning his back on Shido. Leaving him probably on the threshold of an orgasm, one foot in the air ready to dive into a sweet climax. But Goro doesn’t care. 

So what if he makes Shido cum? What the hell does that prove? 

Nothing. 

Once Shido is finished cumming, he can go back to being the man he wants to be. He can ignore Goro. Act like he has no place in his life. Pretend that this real, aching, electrifying connection between them is nothing more than sex. And sex is nothing, at the end of the day. 

Goro is crying. He’s realized everything too late. Now he’s here, naked in his father’s private room, on his knees. Debased and…insane, probably. Goro knows he’s gone somewhere he can’t get back from and in return…what has he gotten? 

He buries his fingers in his hair and  _ pulls _ . This was a stupid plan. He can’t ever force Shido to give him the things he really needs because…what he needs isn’t something you can fake. Shido won’t admit to it. Because he simply doesn’t feel the same way. 

Goro feels lost. He sobs into his lap. He’s broken. Gone. Even worse than before. 

“Goro…you fucking cocktease…” Shido strains against his ropes. “Get back over here. Finish what you started.” 

The only answer is Goro’s partially muted sobs. 

“Hm? Goro?” Shido turns his face side to side. Futilely trying to find his son. “Are you…? Where are you?” 

Through his tears, Goro looks at Shido and sniffles. He’s hurting right now. All the pain that’s been gathering inside him, since he started this whole long, deranged game with Shido…since even before that. Since he was born and became a thing nobody wanted. All of that pain has been drawn out. It’s sitting right on the surface of Goro’s skin. Grinding him into a fine paste. Burning him. 

“Uh…” Shido sighs. He’s probably heard what’s happening by now. He hangs his head for a moment, his cock still hard and straining. Then he says, “Come over here, would you? Just come here for a second.” 

It take Goro a while to comply. He sits there. Wiping tears that continue to fall. 

Then, “…please?” 

It’s the please that does Goro in. He can’t remember Shido using that word with him before. It’s hardly a word he would use lightly. So, even though Goro feels like garbage worn down into dirty plastic by years of abuse from the elements and natural erosion…even though Goro feels like that, he gets up and walks towards Shido. 

“What’s wrong?” Shido’s voice sounds calmer and gentler than Goro’s ever heard it. The tone does something to him. It makes the threadbare, tattered pieces of Goro’s soul shimmer with need. It’s amazing that Goro’s soul still exists and that it can feel anything at this point, but it does. 

Shido’s voice makes Goro  _ want _ .

Before he can stop, he helps himself to a seat in Shido’s lap. Plops down and straddles Shido’s bound legs. Pressing his naked body against Shido’s. He wraps his arms around Shido’s shoulders and pushes their faces together. He nuzzles Shido’s cheek with his forehead, whimpering and crying. Hoping that this humiliating, pathetic scene will tell Shido what’s wrong.

“Goro…” Shido sounds surprised. But still calm. 

Burying his fingers into Shido’s loose shirt, Goro kisses Shido’s cheek with trembling lips. He  _ wants _ so badly that he’s passed the point of dignity. This truth—the final truth between them—is the secret treasure of Goro’s life. If he reveals it now, he won’t have anything left. 

And still. The hands. Reaching.  _ Stretching— _

“Take off the blindfold,” Shido demands. 

Blinking away more tears, Goro complies. He slips the silk from Shido’s face and freezes when their eyes make contact. 

Shido takes in the sight of his son with several long sweeps of his eyes. He reads everything there is to see. His face is slack. Strangely passive. Not just because of the bruises. There’s something pushing at him from the inside. Goro can’t figure out what it is. 

“You…” Shido begins. His voice is so gentle he’s almost whispering. “Why are you crying?” 

“B-because…” Goro hides his face against his father’s neck. Inhaling the glorious minty wooden smell of him. His manly weight feels like an anchor in a storm. Goro clings to him. “I…I want you…” 

“You can have me.” Shido thrusts his penis into Goro’s bare thigh. “Don’t you know that by now?” 

Goro shakes his head. “Not like that.” 

“How then?” Shido doesn’t seem to understand. 

Is he really this dense? Is he really going to make Goro say the words out loud?

Of course he is.

Bursting into a fresh round of tears, Goro lets it all go. He whispers, in such a high voice the words are barely audible, “I want you to love me!” 

What’s the point in hiding it now? When they’ve come this far? The words are running out of Goro’s mouth faster than he can stop them. He might as well just give in. 

“I want you to take care of me!” Goro cries. “I want you to give a damn about me and…and fuck me when I want it and…I want to be together with you forever! And I want you to hold me and…and…kiss me before I fall asleep at night and…a lot of other things.” 

He’s lost the plot here. He’s not making sense. 

It’s too late to go back.

Shaking his head sadly, Goro looks away. “I just want you to love me, Shido. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” 

There’s a gaping, miserable moment of silence that follows. Goro has bared his entire self and he doesn’t really expect anything to come of it. Now that he’s said his piece, he can stop this whole charade. He’ll untie Shido and submit himself to whatever punishment is waiting for him. To prison, to death, to whatever stupid thing that doesn’t even matter—

“Alright.” 

Goro stops. His eyes patter up to Shido’s face. Afraid to hear what he just heard. 

Shido looks at him with a serious expression. He doesn’t seem angry. He seems as calm as before. There’s a glimmer of something in his eyes and Goro thinks he recognizes it now: Sincerity. He’s never really seen Shido looking sincere, without being pissed. But this is it.

“What do you mean?” Goro asks. Re-settling in his seat in his father’s lap. 

“Well, if that’s what you want, then…” Shido glances to the side. He’s not confident! For once! Goro pounces on the look as proof of his sincerity! 

Shido is leaving himself vulnerable. He waits for Goro to say something, but Goro won’t let him off the hook that easily. Once Shido is vulnerable…once he is, then…

Goro will never, ever, ever let him go—

Shido sighs. “If that’s what you want me to do, then, I’ll do it.” 

Goro blinks. Not good enough! “So you’ll…what, exactly?” 

“I’ll…” Shido nods at him. “…what you said.” 

“Which part?” 

Clicking his teeth in frustration, Shido cuts his gaze sharply away. “All of it, obviously. Since it seems like nothing else is good enough for you.” 

Goro rests his hands on Shido’s shoulders. As softly as he would touch a startled deer. “So if I want you to love me then…?” 

“Then I’ll…” A blush—as pink and rosy as the dawn—rises to Shido’s cheeks. “…try to love you.” 

That blush is all the evidence Goro needs that Shido actually cares about him. This is a man that would crush anyone in the world under his heel, for an inch of personal gain. He doesn’t go around blushing like a schoolgirl over just any admission of love! 

He must care, then. About how Goro really feels. 

A slow grin breaks over Goro’s tearstained face. He wants to be a little petulant. “ _ Try _ to?” he teases.

“Alright, listen—” Shido turns to him angrily, but when he sees the smile on Goro’s face he must realize he’s doing well. Saying the right things. So, he relaxes. Smiles on one side of his face. A soft, tentative smile. “Don’t push your luck.” 

Goro shrugs. Still smiling. “Well if we’re making a deal here then I want to know exactly what the parameters are. What I’ll be getting out of this.” 

“It’s not a deal, Goro…” Shido sighs. “Not everything is a deal, okay?” 

“Oh?” Goro leans an elbow on Shido’s shoulder. Cocking his head to one side interestedly. “If it’s not a deal then what is it?” 

“It’s me telling you that…” Shido seems more confident now that the initial awkwardness has passed. More reasonable. More honest. “I’m going to try—with my own admittedly limited means—to give you what you want. That’s it. That’s all it is.” 

“Limited means?” Goro frowns. Is there something Shido isn’t saying? “What are you talking about?” 

Shido rolls his eyes and huffs impatiently. “Just who do you think you’re talking to right now? Do you think I know how to show someone the type of love you’re talking about? Do you think I’ve had a wealth of experience in this area, with the kind of life I’ve lived?”

Goro shrugs. He honestly never thought about it that way before. That Shido is at a loss in these matters. When it comes to genuine affection. Sure, he’s good in bed, but beyond that…or even with family members. Is Shido capable of demonstrating kindness and love? 

“Well, I haven’t. I’ve never…” He trails off and shakes his head. “Anyway, the point is, if there’s something specific you want like that, then you’ll have to explain it to me. Clearly, in plain language. You understand?” 

Mystified, Goro nods. 

“Alright, then. It’s settled.” Shido takes a deep breath. He leans back in the chair, relieved that the pressure is off. Then, he does something unexpected.

He presses his face against Goro’s. Smushing their foreheads together. It’s close and intimate and nothing like Shido. Goro’s heart beats fast. He can barely breathe!

“Don’t go off crying on your own anymore,” Shido mumbles. Quietly displeased. “If something’s wrong, you tell me first. And we’ll talk. Got it?” 

Goro is too overwhelmed to say anything for a while. He basks in the warm, sweet aura of his father’s affection and tries not to cry. He doesn’t want to cry anymore. He’s not sad.

He’s not sad, he’s…

“I will,” he promises softly. Afraid to break the moment with the sound of his voice. “I will…” 

Swallowing his tears, he looks Shido in the eye and adds the one word they have yet to address between them, “…Papa.” 

Something hard pokes Goro in the ass. He knows exactly what it is. He’s driven out of his mind with glee! He starts heaving breaths, excitedly. To be fair, his own cock is hard now too. Beyond the level where Goro can just ignore it. He grinds his hips against Shido’s stomach. Showing him what that word does to him, the same thing it does to Shido. 

“Untie me,” Shido growls. 

Goro leaps to his feet. He fiddles with the ropes for half a second before giving up and rushing to the bed, where the rest of his tools are. He grabs the knife—a seriously sharp, rather long chef’s knife he brought in case things got away from him (there is also a loaded gun, along with several vials of Rohypnol, again just in case)—and brandishes it confidently. The metal catches Shido’s eye, making him flinch on instinct. But Goro simply cuts the ropes from Shido’s body. Slashing them to ribbons.

Once Shido is free, his first move is to grab the knife. He rips it from Goro’s hand and tosses it far away. As hard as it is safe to throw a knife (which is not very hard), so that it lands on the other side of the room. 

Now that’s taken care of…

Shido grabs Goro and pulls him in for a kiss. He’s holding his arms tight enough to leave marks, but Goro doesn’t mind. He kisses Shido back with all the passion he has, matching him toe to toe. Shido tangles one hand in his hair, pushing his face to one side. Deepening their angle. Goro moans happily, snaking an arm around Shido’s waist to lock their bodies together.

This is what he wanted. 

This is all he wanted. 

This kiss, his father’s lips…his hands…his big, strong hands running down Goro’s naked chest. Shido finds one of Goro’s nipples and tweaks it, chuckling when Goro jumps. 

“My…my body is for you…” Goro whines, in between kisses. “No one else.” He knows who he sounds like. Sure. But in this case, the words are true. And, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, right? He’s sure his cognitive version would love this. 

Shido hums contentedly. He pushes Goro down onto the bed, following him on all fours. He traps him, leaning over him while he balances his weight on his forearm. Now they’re looking at each other eye to eye. It’s an intense, very personal position. Their noses are almost touching. They’re panting and out of breath from all the kissing. 

“…Shido…” Goro’s voice sounds strange. His heart is pounding through his chest. Surrounded by Shido from every angle, Goro opens his legs automatically. Wraps them around Shido’s hips. Shaking like a leaf.

“I…” Shido licks his lips. “You should know, a lot of the things you said you wanted are things that are already true for me. I care about you. I like the person you are.” He kisses his forehead. “Who else could do something like this to me?” He smiles and gestures to the room, this whole situation.“It’s amazing! I’ll admit I’m impressed.” 

Golden happiness shines through Goro’s skin. Pours out into the room around them. Melting the atmosphere into something soft and warm and sexy. He rocks his hips against Shido’s stomach. Unable to contain himself. When his cock finally has some contact, he moans in abandon. 

“Touch me,” he begs. “Please…” 

Shido sinks his teeth into Goro’s neck, as if he wants to devour him whole. Or leave his mark. Hot, twisted pleasure washes Goro’s insides, making him squirm. Tomorrow, when he sees the mark Shido left, he’s going to get off on it so hard… He almost can’t wait. 

“Mm…yeah…” Goro is unspooling. He’s been through a lot tonight and he just wants more. More of Shido’s words. More of that face he was making when he said all that. More, more, more! 

“More!” Goro whines. “Shido, tell me more!” 

“Hm.” Shido’s eyes shine. He gets it. He kisses his way down Goro’s chest, licking and sucking all the flesh he can reach. “You’re brilliant, Goro. I’m very glad to have you. Instead of thinking about the past…” He sticks his tongue in Goro’s belly button, licking it like he wants to fuck it. Goro squeals in delight. “I want you to think about all the ways I’m going to make it up to you. Alright?” 

Goro’s brain is leaking out of his ears. His cheeks are red and he’s grinning like the world’s biggest idiot. He’s deliriously happy! He wants to brand those words into his head so that he never forgets! 

His head rolls from side to side. Loose and sloppy. “How? How are you going to make it up to me, Shido?” 

“Heh.” Shido smirks. “Well, I’ll start with this…” His finger reaches between Goro’s legs. Back, behind…to that place.

Goro keens with joy when Shido’s finger finds his hole. He’s just stroking it, his finger isn’t even wet, and it feels like they’re having sex already! Goro’s cock is twitching uncontrollably. He’s dripping wet with pre-cum. Keyed up to new heights from so, so little foreplay. 

“God damn it, Goro,” Shido sighs. “I can feel you pulsing back here. Like you can’t wait to open for me and get something inside…” 

“It’s true!” Goro’s eyes roll back in his head. “It’s so true, Shido! I just want you inside me! Please! Don’t make me wait anymore!” 

Gritting his teeth, Shido reaches into the nightstand. This is his room, after all. He knows where the useful stuff is. He pulls out a bottle of expensive, glossy lube and spreads some on his fingers. 

Oh, god. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Goro can’t take this! Being fucked on a bed, with lube, like…! Like real lovers! 

Shido’s fingers in his ass make Goro cry. He’s extra sensitive right now, his insides throbbing from every touch, every sweep of his father’s fingers. Like he’s on drugs, or like his organs and tissues have come alive. Truly alive! He pushes back against Shido’s hand, trying to work those fingers deeper. 

“Keep going! Please, it’s not enough!” Goro can’t get what he needs just from fingers! 

“Hmph.” Shido bends down and whispers in his ear, “Will it ever be enough for you?” 

Goro honestly doesn’t think anything will ever satisfy him completely. But this, sex in this kind of way, comes pretty close. 

He hooks his arm around Shido’s shoulders, keeping him there. His eyes are wide, the whites showing around the edges. He whispers back, “Why don’t you put your cock in me so we can find out?”

Shido’s hips stutter. It’s obvious how much he’s been wanting this. Without waiting another second, he presses Goro’s knees to his chest and lines his cock up with his slick, twitching hole. Making eye contact with his son, he pushes in. 

“Ah—!” Goro thinks he sees heaven. Is he dead? To finally have this pleasure—for once, there is no pain! The tight burn of skin against skin has been smoothed away by the lube and now there is only the hot rush of Shido’s solid manhood, stuffing him to the very limits! 

Goro laughs like a lunatic. How is this possible?! Sex that’s so easy and so good? Have they just been missing out all this time? Wasting days and weeks not having sex like regular people do?! 

“Feels good?” Shido grunts. Holding himself still with much effort. 

“Fuck, Shido!” Goro vibrates, ratcheted up to the brink of an orgasm. “It’s unbelievably good! Please, give me more!” 

“I knew you’d say that.” Shido slides out, then slides back in with a vengeance. Pushing himself all the way to the hilt, in such a way that his cock hits so deep inside Goro can feel it in his stomach. He’s being plundered. These are his virgin depths. 

He wants Shido there. Even deeper. Goro’s eyes cross and his tongue lolls out of his mouth. “Muh…more…!” 

Shido snaps his hips in and out. “How much deeper can I go…?” he asks. Legitimately. “Even this isn’t satisfying for you?” 

Goro shakes his head. “N-no, no it’s not, Papa! Don’t be mean! Give me more!” 

“Fuck…” Shido is powerless against that word. He rolls Goro onto his side, practically folding him in two, and pounds in deeper. It’s a savage angle, something that Shido would never try on anyone else, but Goro just cries out in pleasure. 

“Y-yes! Yes! Right there!” 

A switch has been flipped inside Shido. He starts fucking Goro without mercy, letting loose the demon plaguing his thoughts for so long. Desires that have had no outlet.

“You’re mine,” he huffs, fucking him harder and harder. “You’re my own personal cockslut. You’re not allowed to look at anyone else or pretend that you don’t want my cock. Because I  _ know _ you do. I  _ know.  _ Understand?” 

“Yes!” Goro can barely hear Shido over the sound of his own moans, but he agrees. “Yes, I understand! I’m yours! I’m your boy!” 

“And I…” Shido’s hands are slippery with sweat. But he manages to bend Goro over onto his other side. Switching their angle. Just to give Goro more stimulation. “In return I…” He slaps Goro’s ass. In ownership. “I am going to take such good care of you, my boy.” 

“Oh! Oh—ah!” There are no words coming from Goro’s mouth. He can’t muster any. All he wants is to hear Shido’s voice! 

“I’m going to give you everything you could ever want, Goro.” His cock is drumming a cruel pattern into Goro’s tight body, squeezed to death, because Goro’s hole does not want to let him go. “I’m going to make sure you know every day who you belong to. That you remember who it is that loves you.” 

“You!! Papa, it’s you!” Goro’s hand reaches for him. Shido takes it, lacing their fingers together as he fucks him. 

“That’s right.” 

At long last, the hands inside Goro finally have something to hold. They clasp Shido with all their might. When they’re touching him, they feel…Goro feels free. He’s not dragging around the weight of that familiar emptiness inside. He doesn’t feel empty at all. Instead, in that aching place, he feels his father. Papa is there for him. 

“A-always?” Goro stutters, tears dripping down his face. He wants to hear it again! 

Shido kisses Goro’s hand and nods. “Always.” 

In a harsh rush of emotion, wetness, tears, and ecstasy, Goro cums. It sends him head over heels, plummeting towards certain doom, but Goro’s body is out of control. It won’t stop! He cums and cums, prolonged by the omnipotent presence of Shido’s cock. Fucking him inside out. 

He’s gripping Shido’s shoulders, so he can feel the moment Shido releases too. It’s hot and it fills him to bursting, overflowing. Goro wants to feel it forever. He wants to hold Shido’s cock and cum inside him for as long as he can. So that he can live inside the words Shido told him the moment before they came together…

“Always…” Goro huffs, trying to catch his breath. Scratching Shido’s chest in an effort to keep his attention. “Always…you promised…” 

Shido is propped up on one elbow. Panting. He nods. “Yeah. I did.” When he turns to Goro, he’s smiling. He pats Goro’s head, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Don’t worry. I know what I said.”

Tingling from head to toe in warm, gushing bliss, Goro answers, “You better.” 

_____________________

They lose track of time.

A dangerous thing to do when you’re about to become prime minister.

But they’re too wrapped up in each other. Shido fucks Goro several more times before he finally lets them take a shower. And once they’re in the shower, it starts all over again. How could it not? Seeing his son lathered in foam and water? Shido’s only a man, after all. It’s unreasonable to think he wouldn’t want another round after that.

And Goro lets him. He doesn’t complain once. In fact, it’s the opposite. Every time Shido approaches him for another fuck, Goro holds his arms up happily and spreads his legs. Letting Shido do whatever he wants.

Holy god…Shido rubs his face. Trying to come to grips with everything that’s happened. He’s never had a lover like this before. So willing! Goro acts like he could take Shido’s cock forever and wouldn’t get tired of him.

If that’s true then….

Shido puts his glasses on and fights away the blush on his cheeks. Goro, wrapped in a fluffy white bathrobe, is checking his phone. (The little green light near the lens was on the whole time. Goro wasn’t bluffing! He really was recording the whole thing.) 

“What…” Shido’s voice is too groggy. He clears his throat and tries again. “What are you going to do with that?” 

“Don’t know.” Goro crawls onto the bed and curls up next to Shido. Suddenly a needy cat demanding attention. Shido runs his fingers through his wet hair. Softly scratching his scalp. “Well, I had one idea…” 

“Go on.” 

“I thought I would put the footage on my hard drive and set it to upload to the internet under an encrypted IP and username. After a certain amount of time, of course. And then I would just keep postponing the scheduled time manually as long as I’m alive. So that the only way the footage gets shared with the world is if I die.” His eyes snake over to Shido. “If something happens to me, then I won’t be able to postpone the upload manually. It’s like a failsafe.” 

Shido stares at him. Dumbfounded. 

Goro shrugs. “But I don’t know. It’s just an idea.” He glances at Shido again. “And it would only serve to buy me a little time before someone from your team cracks the encryption. Then you’ll have every reason to kill me.” 

This again? Shido sighs, shaking his head in disbelief. Goro is fishing here. And he’s not even trying to be subtle. 

He’ll put a stop to this once and for all. 

He touches Goro’s chin. “Look at me,” he commands. Goro does. “I’m not going to kill you. Not now, not after the election. Just forget about that. It’s not going to happen. Alright?” 

Goro’s eyes narrow. He chews his bottom lip. It looks like he wants to believe Shido, but…

Leaning closer to him, Shido speaks in the gentlest tone he can conjure. “Didn’t I promise? Always, right?” 

Slowly, Goro’s face dissolves into a sweet smile. He nods. “You did. You promised. I’m glad you remember.” 

“It was just a few minutes ago…” Shido frowns, not sure if Goro is making fun of him or not. “How could I forget?” 

“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway.” Goro tosses his phone carelessly back onto the nightstand. “I can always go into your palace later and check for myself if you’ve really changed your mind.” 

What a little shit. “You do that,” Shido retorts. If he’s so insecure about it, then let him! For fuck’s sake.

Shido lays back on the bed. He doesn’t want to check his phone, even though he knows he should. He’ll probably have at least 50 missed calls and twice that many emails. He closes his eyes. Fighting against the tiredness. 

Then he feels a warm body snuggling up against his own. With the smell of lavender and lemons. 

Opening his eyes, he sees Goro. Spooning him like he belongs there. His eyes are glued to Shido’s face. He’s smiling, but he doesn’t say anything. He’s just watching him. 

There are a million things Shido wants to say, and a million other things he doesn’t. But he knows that, in time, if things stay like this, everything will come out eventually. Goro has that way about him. He doesn’t let anything rest. 

Is this how it’s going to be between them? 

Shido reflects. Actually…this, Goro’s unflinching stare, his constant questions, his neediness…it’s not terrible. It’s better, at least, than what they were before. Much better. Shido remembers how avidly Goro claimed to love him. To want his love in return. Shido’s never left himself open to any experience even remotely like that in his adult life, but…

He wraps an arm around Goro’s shoulders. Holding him close. They both sigh as the tension escapes.

It might be nice. To try something like that. With Goro, anyway. Because Goro is special. And because, well, he promised. 

Shido doesn’t make a habit of going back on his word. 

**Author's Note:**

> Dare I tag it...happy ending?? 
> 
> Eh, I won't tag it ;) But if you've made it this far you know it's a happy ending. 
> 
> (Consider the word 'ending' as a figure of speech.)


End file.
